Just curious, but how many of you bikers out there take your dogs, or any other kind of animal with you when you go biking? Me and my dad always bring our dog when we go riding, unless we are going to be haulin' azz. (She's getting old, she usually cant keep up) Again, I'm just curious, haven't seen many threads about it, or heard of any one taking one.

Oh, I forgot to add, If you do take any of your dogs with you, please share what breed it is and the age. Thanks, Rios.

We used to have a dog, but it wasn't so obedient that I would know it wouldn't run off and get lost on a trail. We don't talk about him anymore, he was a black lab, got run over. I found the animal pound truck picking him up. Pretty dang sad. We're a cat family now. No cat of ours would care to go outside.

Sorry to hear about your dog, that always sucks to see dogs get run over, but I have never had that happen to one of our dogs. I can only imagine how it would have felt...
And, sorry I forgot to add, my dog is a mix between as yellow lab, and some other things I don't know. She looks alot like a lab, but she is a mix of some kind. And she is 7 years old this January.

Ive seen a few people around here ride with their dogs following behind with no leash. Im trying to get my dog used to it by taking her walking on the trails as often as i can. Not till i know she wont just run off at the sight of a bird in flight will she be off a leash. I think/hope the more she gets used to seeing the wildlife out there the less lighly she will sprint out after it.

does she just run along with you with no leash or do you guys keep her on a leash and hold the leash along with your handlebars?

Yeah, she just runs right behind us, no leash. Although when she was little, she could run after any thing. If she sniffed deer or elk, she was out of there. We had to keep calling her for like 10 minutes before she came back. At least she doesn't do that any more.

So yeah crgowo, I think that just letting her get used to the wildlife will solve the 'sprinting' problems, at least it did for my dog.

And Maelstrom, that dog is da bomb! lol, I wish my dog would do that...that is truly amazing.

How I WISH I could take my dog out riding. He's a fox hound. About the size of a lab but not as stocky/heavy. He LOVES to roam and his nose is like a mine sweeper....I'm worried he'll bolt after something and I'll never see him again. Once the chase is over he'll look for me and we'll be too far apart to find each other....that what usually happens. The "chase" is all consuming for most hunting dogs, that's the problem.... for those of you who can, I'm happy you can take your dogs along for the ride....

- "The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a very creative mind to spot wrong questions"- Anthony Jay

I always bring my dog, unless I'm going somewhere that dogs aren't welcome or it's unsafe. On trails where he's allowed off leash, he runs just ahead of me, and in the doggie trail parks I let him run farther, he usually runs until he's almost out of sight (ie just before a big turn) and then runs back, etc etc). On trails where he has to be leashed, we're working on him being on the leash attached to the handle bars. It doesn't really work that great because we're both learning (he likes to run around trees, makes life exciting!) LOL but it's coming along. He has excellent recall and obedience skills so I'm comfortable with him running loose. He also freezes in place when I call "Stop!!" and stops when I say "Far enough!". I take him hiking and stuff so these commands are great. So are "under!" and "over!". Now I'm trying to teach him "left!" and "right!" He's a Rhodesian Ridgeback/Black lab cross, just turned two. I adopted him from Ridgeback Rescue almost a year ago. He's a different dog now!

I have/had (ex-wife kept her in the Divorce) a yellow lab. She'll be 9 this April. When she was younger, we used to take her with us everywhere. It's critical to train your dog to follow voice commands. Remember, not everyone is a Dog lover and hikers and equestrians might get scared with dogs. If your dog doesn't sit or stay when instructed I'd do more training. She liked to lead, and a simple "Go, Go, Go" command and she'd take off. She also would "go" about 5 feet off the trail. Never trained her to do this, she was just considerate on her own.

I would let my dog run free, but I'd wrap the leash over my shoulder and if we approached hikers/horses, I would put her on the leash and walk her until we passed. We started her early just running alongside the bike when she was a pup. Up and down the block real easy until she was about 6 months. After that, we increased the distance and speed. Water is critical for a dog. We taught ours to drink directly from a water bottle and even from a dripping camelback. We would have to stop every once in awhile to let her cool down. Usually near water and she would go lay in the water. Made for a messy car trip home, but we always brought extra towels.

She's getting too old to hit the trails, but my ex still takes her around the neighborhood.

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW, What a Ride!" - unknown
"Your Bike Sucks" - Sky Yaeger

I'm afraid of taking any pet and seeing it run through the spokes like a squirrel sometimes would do.

good luck getting my Great Dane through your spokes.

Seriously though, I don't take either of our dogs (we have two). The Dane would probably be OK going, I just haven't ever aclimated her to anything like it. The Boxer would chase after *everything* that moved. No amount of "pre-trips" would EVER cure her of that!

These are my dogs. Leroy (dark brown) is 8 years old and Anna (blonde) is 9 years. Leroy is a doberman/shepard and Anna is yellow lab/husky. They go for rides every day. They have been riding since I rescued them from the pound as pups. They have logged more than 8000 miles in their lifetimes and still lead the way. Both have been truly amazing dogs.

Nice pics OregonXC, and every one else, thanks alot for your replies. I wasn't expecting so many at all. Also, nice stories all of you! My dog is like a cave man compaired to most of your well-trained geniuses! All she knows is 'sit' , 'stay' , 'heel', and, of course, 'No!'. Thats about it though. Gotta work on that

I was just given a 1-year old Jack Russell mix (a little bigger and faster than a full jack) from my GFs uncle. The poor dog has been kept in a pen its whole first year and doesnt know any commands or even not to run off. It has had little human affection other than getting fed. Im kind of at a loss on where to start with the little guy, becuse he's so hyper and ready to bolt at any moment that Im afraid he's just going to take off for good.

Any tips on this? Whats a good way to bond with such a dog so he wants to follow me?

He doesnt live with me yet, i get him in 2 weeks, because the guy i got him from is going to keep him up near his house so he gets used to people before I pick him up, but what should I do?

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "WOW, What a Ride!" - unknown
"Your Bike Sucks" - Sky Yaeger

I ride with a guy that brings his dog on our shorter rides. She is a pound pup: black, sleek, 30-40 pounds, age ? probably around 7years. She can keep up with us for 2 hour rides even when we are hauling. She usually starts in front of the lead bike, and by the end she is sucking the wheel of whoever is in the back. Sometimes it is uncomfortable having her on our rides, mostly because of other people we may run into, but the dog loves it so much I never complain.